MLB Player News

Astros first baseman Chris Carter continued his hot spring on Sunday.

Carter homered for the second straight day, hitting a full-count pitch for a solo shot to left in the third inning. 

Carter went three for three on the day, adding a single and a double to his performance. 

Carter is hitting .320 this spring, with 10 RBI in 10 games. 

Mets' infielder Wilmer Flores fouled a ball off his foot during Sunday's game. While he was able to finish the at bat, he left the park wearing a protective boot on his left foot.

X-rays came back negative on Flores' foot and was diagnosed as bruised, according to ESPN.com.

Manager Terry Collins said that Flores would "probably be hurting tomorrow", per Newsday's Marc Carig.

Rays manager Kevin Cash indicated Saturday the team is getting closer to deciding where infielder Asdrubal Cabrera will play, per MLB.com. Cash said a decision on whether Cabrera will play at shortstop or second base could happen by Tuesday's off-day.

Cabrera is batting .217 (5 for 23) with no extra-base hits and one RBI in nine spring games.

With the potential injury to Daniel Murphy muddling the Mets' second base situation, general manager Sandy Alderson said the team will not shift shortstop Wilmer Flores to second if Murhpy lands on the disabled list, according to ESPN.com. 

Flores played 19 games at second base last season and 51 at shortstop for the Mets. 

"Wilmer is (our) shortstop," Aldersaon said. "It's taken us this long to convince you guys that Wilmer is the shortstop."

Angels first baseman C.J. Cron is having a very productive spring at the plate. Through 13 games, he is batting .364 (12 for 33) with two home runs, three doubles and five RBI.

Cron is having success this spring because he is able to hit to the opposite field.

“When he’s going right, that’s what you’re seeing him do more often,” manager Mike Scioscia said, per The Orange County Register. “He’s swinging it great.”

Cron had just five hits to right field, as opposed to 28 hits to left field last season. Cron said that’s not indicative of how he has swung throughout his minor-league career.

“It means you’re on time,” Cron said of hitting the ball to right field. “If you take that pitch outside and drive it to the other field, it’s better than rolling over (and pulling the ball weakly). I’m feeling comfortable. I’m seeing the ball good right now.”

The Angels are also looking for Cron to be more selective at the plate after he had just a .289 on-base percentage as a rookie in 2014.

“I think with experience you’ll see a player understand more and more what he can do and what pitches he’s putting better swings on,” Scioscia said. “That plate discipline doesn’t always lead to walks. It can lead to getting better pitches to hit. I think you are going to see him refine his selection of pitches more and more as his career goes on. I don’t know if all of it is showing up right now, but it will.”

Mets shortstop Wilmer Flores is batting .414 (12 for 29) with one home run, four doubles, five RBI and five runs in nine spring games.

New hitting coach Kevin Long has only been working with Flores for a little while, but the 23-year-old infielder has already left a strong impression.

"Wilmer Flores, he just doesn’t miss," Long said, per the New York Post. "If you throw a strike, he’s going to do damage.”

The Phillies are willing to swallow a "significant sum" -- approximately $50 million of the $60 million -- remaining on first baseman Ryan Howard in order to move him in a trade this season, according to Anthony Castrovince of Sports On Earth.

Howard has struggled at the plate in recent years, and is in search of a pain-free 2015 campaign. The 35-year-old hit .223/.310/.380 with 23 home runs and 95 RBI in 569 at-bats last season. He has a career .265/.355/.526 slash line in 11 seasons. Howard has not hit 30-plus home runs in a season since 2011.

The Marlins trimmed down their roster on Wednesday, optioning Justin Bour, Derek Dietrich, Jacob Realmuto, Andre Rienzo, Miguel Rojas Triple-A New Orleans. Miami also reassigned Chris Narveson down to minor-league camp, per MLB.com.

Rays manager Kevin Cash doesn't appear ready to name a starting shortstop, as he said Tuesday he likes "all the guys we have" competing for the job. However, it appears Asdrubal Cabrera and Nick Franklin are the favorites over Tim Beckham, per MLB.com.

"[The candidates are] still kind of bouncing back and forth," Cash said. "But we want the guy who is going to make the routine play. And not to say that anybody's not doing that, [it] seems like they're all doing that. Cabby just has the experience factor with making that play."

Cash said a decision on who will be the starting shortstop could be made next week.

Reds first baseman Joey Votto has been limited to five spring games and eight at-bats midway through March, but the limited playing time this spring isn't an issue for the team. The Reds are just happy to see Votto healthy after he missed 100 games last year due to a knee/quad injury.

"We haven't had to address his knee," Reds manager Bryan Price said, per the Cincinnati Enquirer. "Since he got back into game activity, we haven't had to talk to him at all about health, so that's been a blessing. He looks really spry and agile out in the field. He's running the bases aggressively. There don't seem to be any limitations at all in his style of play.

"Knock on wood, He looks really good. He looks ready to go. He's wanted the workload."

The Reds were being cautious with Votto at the beginning of camp, as he was held out of early spring games. But since being cleared to play, he has had no limitations.

"I feel very normal," Votto said. "I'm fitting in with the guys like everyone else. I'm going through the work like everyone else. I haven't been thinking about my leg. I'm thinking about performing and getting ready for what hopefully is a championship season."